It’s all up to us

October 29, 2012

I've been reading a bit about the Presidential election. Iowa is a swing state. Marshall County is a swing county. Just like always, State Center is in the middle of it all, again.

Look around town and ask yourself these questions, "Should I vote? Or should I just let Bob or Becky or Burt or Betty or Random Name Here be the deciding vote that determines who gets to be my President?"

As much as I like Bob/Becky/Burt/Betty/Random Name Here, I'm not willing to let them cast my vote for me in absentia.

What if you knew that your vote would be the one to tip the scales?

What if you knew your decision would be the one to determine the course of history for the next four years?

What if you had the power to be the one person in all this world to choose the President?

How would you make that decision? Or rather, now that you know, how will you make that decision?

Will the commercials during Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune be your only source of information? Will the glossy flyers stuffed in your mailbox make your decision? Will the constant propaganda phone calls become the voice in your head when you cast your ballot?

Dear God, I hope not.

I pray that we will all take the time to make an informed decision and truly inventory our own values and beliefs - our moral compass, and match that compass to the candidate we trust to be our public servant. Our public servant who will adhere to our values. Our public servant who will work to bring us all together. Bring us together to achieve the best America possible.

I doubt the flyers, commercials, or phone calls will be enough to make that decision.

It's our duty to inform ourselves. Our duty to make the most of our right to decide. Our duty to honor those who have given us this right by making an informed decision.